WASHINGTON, DC – As Senate Republicans scramble to reach consensus within their party on a way to advance their latest version of an unworkable Trumpcare bill, U.S. Senator Jack Reed is urging them to stop sowing uncertainty and destabilizing health insurance markets. 

After seven years of promising a better health plan, Republicans have failed to deliver a plan that can muster even 50 votes.  However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) refuses to pull the plug on Trumpcare and has pledged to bring some form of the legislation – either an unworkable repeal and replace plan, or an even crueler repeal and run plan.   The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has scored multiple Trumpcare bills and found that all of them leave anywhere from 22-32 million more people uninsured.

A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that “mixed signals from the Administration and Congress as to whether cost sharing subsidy payments will continue or whether the individual mandate will be enforced have led some insurers to leave the market or request larger premium increases than they would otherwise.”

Senator Reed stated: “No matter how you slice it, Trumpcare increases your health care costs and cuts Medicaid.  Republicans can’t find the votes because they haven’t even come close to finding a workable plan.  All of their Trumpcare proposals would cause a serious public health crisis.  Americans shouldn’t have to pay more for health insurance because Republicans can’t get their act together.  That is unfair and unacceptable.

“And it is simply irresponsible for Republicans to schedule a vote that is just days away, and will impact every American and one sixth of our economy, and not even know what they are voting on or what is in the bill.

“While the Republicans keep pushing their bad medicine, they’re wasting time and putting our health insurance markets at greater risk.  It’s time for them to meet us at the bargaining table because well-thought out bipartisan fixes are available.  All it takes is for them to stop and listen to the American people who want Democrats and Republicans to roll up our sleeves and strengthen the law.

“I support bipartisan solutions to lower prescription drug costs, make medical prices more transparent, and help stabilize health insurance costs for all.  Instead of sowing more uncertainty and repealing consumer protections, Republicans should start working with Democrats to drop their cuts to Medicaid and revise, repair, and improve the law.”